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What you need to know now about Netflix Face

The most addictive series to binge-watch on Netflix
at the moment has to be Stranger Things. It’s Steven King meets Steven Spielberg with a dash of X-Files on the side. It stars Winona Ryder in an incredible career comeback as an angst-ridden mother
searching for her son who is lost in a strange, supernatural dimension.
Are you hooked yet?

Binge-watching a great show is undoubtedly fun, but
it’s not doing your skin any favours.

A British dermatologist recently warned that too
much screen time can prematurely age your skin. The effect is being called ‘Netflix Face’, where prolonged periods staring at a screen can actually add years to
your face.

Dr Justine Hextall from The Harley Medical Group in
London said recently there is emerging evidence that light from smartphones,
computer screens and TVs, which is referred to as high energy visible light
(HEV) can penetrate into the deeper levels of the skin.

Dr
Hextall told The Daily Mail that too much screen time "results in free radical
damage that is upregulating an enzyme MMP-1.”

This
enzyme breaks down skin collagen and elastin, the structures that keep the skin
firm and youthful, leading to the development of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as sagging skin.

Dr
Hextall also said using a laptop or smartphone outdoors increases our exposure
to UVA and UVB light due to the reflective qualities of the screen. Even more
reason to cover up and wear sunscreen and a hat when you’re outside.

Steer
clear of the blue light disco

HEV light is also
called blue light. It is high-frequency, high-energy
light in the violet/blue band in the visible
spectrum and isn’t only linked with premature ageing of the skin, but eye
strain, macular degeneration and disrupted sleep patterns.

Blue light is actually everywhere. Light from the sun
travels through the atmosphere. The shorter, high energy blue wavelengths
collide with the air molecules causing blue light to scatter everywhere. This is what makes the sky look blue. In its natural form, your body uses blue light from the sun
to regulate your natural sleep and wake cycles. This is known as your
circadian rhythm.

It’s the artificial sources of blue light we need to worry about – TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets, energy-efficient fluorescent
bulbs and LED lights.

Most of today’s electronic devices are backlit by LED
light to enhance screen brightness and clarity, but we’re being exposed to too
much blue light due to our massive screen use.

And I mean MASSIVE.

A new national survey from R U OK?
has revealed Aussies spend an average of 46 hours of their weekly downtime
looking at their TVs and digital devices, compared to an average of six hours
engaging with family and friends.

So too much screen time isn’t just affecting our skin, our
eyes and our sleep, but our relationships.

could safe screens help combat Netflix face?

Dutch company Philips unveiled its ‘SoftBlue’ computer screens at the IFA
consumer electronics show in Berlin last year, claiming its easier on the eyes
(and hopefully the skin). Asus and BenQ, along with American firm ViewSonic are
also introducing safe screens.

You can also download various blue light filters for your devices, which emit
crimson or yellowish light for night use, so your sleep won’t be disturbed.

But really, these are just Band-aid measures.

The real problem isn’t with
the screens or blue light – it’s with our overconsumption of screen time and we
don’t really need a smart screen or a filter to fix that.

We just need a mirror.

time to face the facts

Dr Hextall also warns about the effects on skin of other regular pastimes
in today’s society and has coined these phrases:

Are you a binge-watcher and if so, do you worry about the health and beauty effects of too much screen time? And just for fun. . . what's your favourite show at the moment?

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Hi, I'm Mukti, the founder and creator of Mukti Organics. My aim is to assist you in achieving beautiful, radiant skin without using products containing toxic chemicals. Certified organic skin care is better for you, your family and our planet. Click here to sign up and receive 15% off your first order. Signing up and commenting on our blog posts enters you into our bimonthly draw to receive $150 worth of products of your choice.